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Thu Jan 26, 2012 10:39 pm

I bought my son some pimpy color changing LEDs for his R/C car so I of course taped them onto my truck to see what they would look like as a mirror mounted turn signal. :idea:
Has anybody done or considered mounting something like this and piggy backing it into the turn signal lights? They are bright enough and visible enough to be seen easily from the front, side and rear of the van if the LED strip is mounted near the edge of the housing. They look a little funny when they aren't lit but I am considering installing some on a spare power mirror housing and trying them out. I can't find them in orange but Superbrightleds sells a 19.5 inch version that can be cut down in yellow. Input or other resources that have them in orange?
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Superbrightleds.com weatherproof version of what I have.
http://www.superbrightleds.com/cgi-bin/store/index...2FWFLS.htm

Fri Jan 27, 2012 4:21 am

I've been thinking about this for years, but was thinking of using something like this.

http://www.superbrightleds.com/cgi-bin/store/index...htm#photos

Fri Jan 27, 2012 8:25 am

Mornin'

I've been thinking about how to do this too and I like the idea of that little button LED. It's been a while since I have had one of my power mirrors apart, is there room in there to install the LED without impeding the function of the mirror?

Another place it might work is mounted up high on the B pillar where the old semaphore signals used to be mounted.

Both of these options involve drilling holes in my beloved Van, something I for one am not keen to do without a lot of forethought.

Maybe there is a way to surface mount those strip LED's or a thin button type fixture on the edge of the mirror and then sneak the wires around the edge and into the mirror housing?

Fri Jan 27, 2012 8:56 am

Yeah I have been looking into this as well. I liked the fixed unit idea as the mirror housings could be cut to fit in a fixed set up. I think an open strip of lights looks tacky. A fixed unit with an amber lens would be clean. I look forward to seeing what ideas folks come up with :vw:

Fri Jan 27, 2012 9:18 am

My thoughts were to mount the LEDs behind the mirror ,like a new car .But the heating element proved to be a barrier .
The biggest problem with surface mounted lights is the glare at night . That is why I wanted to mount them behind the lens for that stealth look .
The best I could come up with was an orange truck marker light ,like they use on the top of cabs or on trailer corners . Take it apart and black out the door side of the lens and mount it underneath the mirror.
This will be an interesting thread.

Stacy

Fri Jan 27, 2012 9:18 am

They make all kinds of different kits that stick on the glass. Search JC Whitney or Amazon

Fri Jan 27, 2012 10:29 am

Good feedback,

I was just out in the garage checking the mirrors and found that there is a good flat area on the bottom edge of the housing, and a factory drain hole there which would accept the wires.

I checked some web sources for surface mount Led and there are a few candidates on motorcycle accessory and euro look car supplier sites. They seem to be low profile, but no precise measurements were available.

What do you think about this bottom edge mount idea?

Fri Jan 27, 2012 11:49 am

Good idea. There are a few aftermarket options out there, but I like the fact that syncrodoka's idea does not cover any of the viewing area of the mirror.

Fri Jan 27, 2012 12:18 pm

I am Wildcat wrote: Good idea. There are a few aftermarket options out there, but I like the fact that syncrodoka's idea does not cover any of the viewing area of the mirror.

I like that too. I don't think I would like the distraction of a pretty bright indicator out there. Would be even worse at night, especially if you were trying to use the mirror at the same time.

I (my suggestion earlier) was thinking of drilling into the side of the power mirror body, and mounting it on the side, just out of the driver's line of sight. Hopefully it would be in a location where the drivers behind would see it.

Fri Jan 27, 2012 1:23 pm

I've been thinking of the same implementation as McVanagon - a side marker light that shows only when the turn signal is in use. Probably mount somewhere on the two B pillars - easy wire access/chase.

I agree that placing LEDs on or around the mirror would be a distraction - especially for a Westy - given the limited visibility. To help with that, I have placed a convex mirror on each side mirror - helps a great deal with the blind spot.

Fri Jan 27, 2012 8:54 pm

I am familiar with the integrated turn signals into the stick on mirrors which is the cleanest solution that I have found. The reason that I am considering integrating a turn signal light up high is so that it can be seen from the front and side in addition to the rear by SUVs but that product doesn't fill the needs.

The problem with the mirror housing is that it doesn't have any flat spots where it can easily drilled in and have a light sit flush to the housing. Mounting something on the mirror would be easier to see than a body mounted light. The LED strip that I stuck on could be shortened and go only under the body of the mirror so that it it wouldn't be as visible in the day but would still do something at night. I don't know how effective the light output would be with it only being on the bottom, but it has to be better than nothing.

Any body else have ideas? This is something that people have asked about in the past but I have never seen anything come out of it.

Sat Jan 28, 2012 2:52 am

here's a thought...
pop out the mirror, on the backside, layout a pattern of dots in an arrow shape, scrub off the silvering in this pattern...try a pencil eraser in a drill motor

mount the lamp in the mirror housing and when it blinks it shines through the glass.

on the front side of the housing you could also drill that same hole pattern, then lay masking tape over the holes on the outside of the housing. then pour amber epoxy in the backside to fill the holes.
you can get that epoxy to repair turn signal lenses for this.

when the light blinks it should shine through the holes in the housing and the mirror glass

Sat Jan 28, 2012 9:34 am

The ford f-150 Raptor has a great LED side marker lamp which might work well and surfaced mounted.

Sat Jan 28, 2012 5:22 pm

I think these are Mercedes mirror markers. Saw these in Germany a few years ago at Claer's shop. He's the guy doing the Porsche conversions.

Sat Jan 28, 2012 5:29 pm

Me likey :!:

Sat Jan 28, 2012 6:06 pm

=D> =D> Yeah that is like I was thinking right there. 8) That is one sweet looking signal =D> =D> Now the race is on to see who can do it first here in the USA. I am looking forward to seeing peoples ideas :vw:

Sat Jan 28, 2012 6:44 pm

Crankey wrote: here's a thought...
pop out the mirror, on the backside, layout a pattern of dots in an arrow shape, scrub off the silvering in this pattern...try a pencil eraser in a drill motor

mount the lamp in the mirror housing and when it blinks it shines through the glass.

on the front side of the housing you could also drill that same hole pattern, then lay masking tape over the holes on the outside of the housing. then pour amber epoxy in the backside to fill the holes.
you can get that epoxy to repair turn signal lenses for this.

when the light blinks it should shine through the holes in the housing and the mirror glass

Can't be easily done, mirror stuck very well to plastic backing. I suppose you could grind off the plastic...

alistair

Sat Jan 28, 2012 6:50 pm

didn't say it'd be easy :wink:

I don't think that signal lens fits the mirror housing very well. not worth doing if it doesn't end up looking like factory made.

Sat Jan 28, 2012 6:58 pm

The plastic backing is 4mm. thick and getting through it without also destroying the heating element would be a huge issue.

Still hunting for options. [-o<

Sat Jan 28, 2012 7:30 pm

you have pics of the back of the mirror glass with plastic thing on it ?